Machine for breaking fibrous vegetable substances



2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

(No Model.)

W. O. MCBRIDE. MAGHINE FOR BREAKING F-IBROUS VEGETABLE SUBSTANGES. No.436,718.

Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

I imw 5140014490: A 1 mm flw @515; af/fomwus 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. O. MCBRIDE. MACHINE FOR BREAKING FIBBOUS VEGETABLE SUBSTANGES. No.436,718.

Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

yond the chains.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NVILLIAM O. MCBRIDE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR BREAKING FIBROUS VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,718, datedSeptember 16, 1890.

Application filed December 9, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. MoBRIDE, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Breaking Fibrous Vegetable Substances, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of the several details of construction andarrangement hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims.

In the .drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 isa plan. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are enlarged views of detached details,Figs. 3, 5, and 7 being in section.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respectivefigures.

The main frame of the machine consists of two longitudinal beams A A,suitably connected by cross-beams (not shown) forming the base, and twolongitudinal beams B B, supported by the standards 0 O and frames G,extending upward from the base.

D D are shafts journaled in suitable bearings d d d d on the beams B.Each of the shafts carries withinthebeams B two s procketwheels E E,around which the traveling sheet F moves. This sheet is composed of barsor slats f, carried by the chains f the bars being separated from eachother by short spaces and their ends extending a short distance be- Eachbeam B has two rabbets 1) b formed on it for the purpose of supportingthe ends of the bars f as they travel backward and forward over thesprocketwheels E. This arrangement prevents the sheet from sagging orrunning out of a straight course.

G is a shaft journaled in suitable bearings in frames G, supported bythe base of the machine. This shaft extends at each end heyond itsbearings and carries at one end fast Serial No. 5331109- (No model.)

shaft D between the two halves of the clutch and tends to keep themnormally separated. By the engagement and disengagement of the halves ofthe clutch the travel of the sheet is made intermittent.

H H" are the crushing-rollers, the shafts h h of which are journaled insuitable bearings in the upper part of the frames G. The

bearings for the shaft h are permitted a vertical movement by means ofthe spring W, the pressure of which is regulated by a setscrew 72 In thedrawings the roller H is shown corrugated and the roller H smooth. I donot limit myself to the number of crushingrollers or to their form, asboth may vary under different circumstances. One end of the shaft hextends outwardly beyond its bearings and carries a gear-wheel H whichengages with a gear-wheel G mounted on the shaft G between the pulley gand the frames G, thus transmitting motion to the rollers H and II.

I is a U-shaped lever, the two arms 1; t" of which are hinged at theirlower ends to a suitmachine. To the arm t' one end of a rod J ispivotally connected, its other end being provided with a loop or strapj, fitting over theshaft D between the outer face of the pulley d and acollar j on the end of the shaft. The loop j is wedge-shaped, as shown,and by pushing the rod J forward the wedge-shaped loop will force thepulley (55 against the resistance of the spring 01 toward the halfclutch d and cause the two halves of the clutch to become engaged. Whenthe rod J is drawn back, the narrow portion of the loop jwill permit thespring (1 to force the two halves of the clutch apart and thereby stopthe travel of the sheet F.

K is a rod supported in the bearings is on the beams A and extendingbeyond them in both directions. I

L L are tipping tables, angularly attached to the frames L L the latterbeing pivoted on the rod K, as shown, and free to move thereontransversely of the machine. The tables L L have permanent sides Z and amovable tailboard Z, adapted to be secured to the table at diiferentpoints, so as to suit different lengths of fiber. The tables are eachprovided with a wheel or caster Z to enable them to be easily pushedalong the floor when it is necessary to change their position on the rodK. By arranging the tables L L on the rod K in the manner shown they maybe used alternately to feed the fiber to the crushing-rolls. When onetable is elevated to feed the fiber the attendant can be arranging thefiber in the other, and when all the fiber has been discharged from theelevated table saidtable can be turned back and it, with the other,pushed in the necessary direction in order to bring said other tableopposite the rollers, when it in turn will be elevated and its containedfiber fed to the rolls. When either of the tables is elevated its frameL will engage the lever I and push the rod J forward, thereby throwingthe two halves d cl of the clutch into engagement and so cause the sheetF to travel. When the table is turned down, the lever I and rod J willbe retracted by means of the tension-spring M, one end of which issecured to the rod'J and the other to the support 11 on which the leverI is hinged. The two halves of the clutch will then become disengagedand the travel of the sheet F cease. The front open end of the table,when feeding, rests on the bar N, supported upon standards immediatelyin front of the crushing-rolls.

The general operation is as follows: Motion having been imparted to theshaft G, the crushing-rolls will be caused to revolve, and one of thetables containing fiber being elevated its frame will engage the lever Iand thereby throw the two halves of the clutch into engagement and socause the sheet to travel. The fiber in the meantime will begin to enterbetween the crushing-rolls and will pass through them onto the sheet,which will carry the crushed fiber forward, and this operation willcontinue until all the fiber has been discharged from the table. Theempty table must now be turned down, when the leverI and rod J will beretracted by the spring M and the travel of the sheet will cease, asbefore explained. An attendant can now gather and remove the mass ofcrushed fiber from the sheet. The other table will then be pushedopposite the rollers and elevated and the operation be repeated.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a machine for crushingfiber, the combination, with the main frame of the machine and thecrushing-rolls, of a rod supported on the main frame, and a series oftipping tables pivoted on the said rod and movable thereon transverselyof the machine, substantially as specified.

2. In a machine for crushing fiber,-the combination, with the main frameof the machine and the crushing-rolls, of a rod supported on the mainframe, a series of tipping tables pivoted on said rod and movablethereon transversely of the machine, and wheels or casters on the underside of the tables, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a machine for crushing fiber, the combination, with a series ofcrushing-rolls and means for revolving them, of a traveling sheet movingaround sprocket-wheels, shafts carrying said sprocket-wheels, ahalf-clutch rigidly secured to one of said shafts, a pulley the hub ofwhich forms a half-clutch loosely mounted on said shaft, intermediategearing and a belt to transmit motion from the crushing-rolls to thesaid pulley, and means, substantially as described, to force the twohalves of the clutch into engagement, as specified.

4. In a fiber-crushing machine, the combination of a series of revolvingrolls, a traveling sheet, a shaft carrying sprocket-wheels to impartmovement to said sheet, a pulley loosely mounted on said shaft, the hubof said pulley forming half a clutch, another halfclutch rigidly securedto said shaft, a spiral spring surrounding the shaft between the twohalves of the clutch, a collar on the shaft, a rod having a wedge-shapedloop fitting over said shaft between the collar and pulley andintermediate gearing, and a belt to transmit movement from the revolvingrolls to the said pulley, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with two halves of a clutch, the rod J, and lever I,of the pivoted tipping table, said table, when elevated, engaging thelever and causing the two halves of the clutch to engage, substantiallyas described.

6. In a machine for crushing fiber, the combination, with thecrushing-rolls, of a tipping table and an intermittent traveling sheet,substantially as specified.

Intestimony whereof I here unto set my hand and seal.

WILLIAM C. MCBRIDE. [n s.]

Witnesses:

JOSEPH H. PORTER, WM. E. MILLARD.

